Ok that help me out alot. Now I hate to say this but what do you think would be cheaper to do, make the 06 bolt work or buy one at .523"? Then is there any thing I should to do that action? I do want a trusted gun and reach out and touch an elk or antelple. I have looked at the Douglas barrels. What is your thought on them?
Again Thanks

Which is cheaper...that's a straight forward cost analysis.

To get your current action ready to go you need to....

1. Open bolt face and install new extractor
2. true-up/blueprint the action (this squares bolt face, laps locking lugs and squares action). You can learn more about blueprinting an action here:

A gunsmith can tell you the cost to have this done. Looking at Kevin Cram's website (visit www.montourcountyrifles.com and click on 'price list'), he charges $40 for the extractor and $150 for blueprinting. $190 total.

Replacing your bolt involves lots of options. Might be best to talk to the guys at Pacific Tool and Gauge and they can go over all your options. Not sure what a new bolt does to the cost with a gunsmith.

In terms of barrels, pretty much all the custom barrel makers produce a good product. Personally, when looking for accuracy, my go-to barrels have cut rifling. Brux and Krieger make cut rifle barrels. The Broughton 5C (canted rifling) barrels are also very good. These are just my preferences, you can't go wrong if you go with Douglas, Lilja, Hart etc.

What would be more important than choosing a barrel maker, will be barrel length and contour. For a 338RUM you should consider 28" long as a minimum. For the contour, heavier barrels tend to be more accurate. Personally, I would consider a barrel that tapers to .825" at the muzzle to be a minimum and would probably prefer .950" at the muzzle to be better.

Are you planning to install a muzzle brake? They are a nice option and make the big magnums (like the 338RUM) a pussy cat to shoot. Center Shot Rifles (www.centershotrifles.com) has some great options. Their 'standard' and their Muscle Brakes do a great job.

This leads me to a final note on barrels. If you plan to install a muzzle brake, 28" is about the longest barrel you can use and still get the rifle into a 'standard' rifle case. When you get longer than that, you will need a new case that is extra long. Long cases are (especially hard-cases) are expensive.

If you go without a brake, you can go up to a 29.5" of barrel and still get into a 'standard' case.

I tell you this from experience. My newest build is a 300RUM with a 32" barrel. If I had to do over again, I would go with a shorter barrel just so I could get it into a standard case. My 300RUM by MCR

Other things you should do....

Tune/Replace Trigger: You want a trigger pull of 2lbs or less. Tuned Remington triggers are ok, but a custom trigger like a Jewell, Timney, or Rifle Basix is MUCH better.

It doesn't make any sense to alter it to a ultra mag action just trade it or sell it and get a ultra mag action , like a 700 SPS in any of the ultra calibers. Why not just get a action that is already has the correct bolt face,follower,mag box,and the rails are correct? Lot's of guys will snag up a standard bolt face action and then you will have the correct action in hand and won't need $200-$300 for of work and parts!

@ J E Custom. So can my 06 be made into the 338 RUM. Sorry but as you can tell this is the first time doing something like this and I want to do it right. What I think your saying it can be done. But then someone said that its not a goos idea. So if you or anyone else help the new long rane guy out that would be great.

Thanks

Yes. It can be done and is very common and is not a problem for the gunsmith or the action.

You will have to install a Sako or m16 style extractor as Trebark said.

The cost of this is about half of the cost of a new bolt with the correct bolt face.

The first thing I would try is to find someone With a magnum bolt face bolt on this site that needs
a standard boltface for there build and swap bolts with them. It doesent matter if you change bolts
because the smith will true and head space off the bolt you furnish (As long as it is a 700 long action
bolt).

Next , Check into the price of a new bolt with handle and extractor installed. If it is not to much for
your budget you are good to go. If it is then go with the opening of the bolt face and new extractor.

The only time I dont recomend opening the bolt face on a 700 action it when going with the Lapua
or 378 Weatherby size bolt faces.

The last option would be to sell or trade the action for one that is already a magnum .